Tommie Harris suddenly a pass-rushing force again

Tuesday

Jan 18, 2011 at 12:01 AMJan 18, 2011 at 6:15 PM

Chicago has four sacks in its last two games. Three of them by Tommie Harris. So? Isn’t that why the former first-round draft pick is a three-time Pro Bowler? Yes, it is. But that’s not the Harris the Bears have seen for several years now.

Matt Trowbridge

Tommie Harris rose from the snowy Soldier Field turf and beat his chest with his right fist Sunday.

The Chicago Bears defensive tackle had just ended Seattle’s final drive of the first half with a third-down sack of Matt Hasselbeck. It wasn’t enough for Harris to show he was back. He had to let everyone know he was back and wasn’t planning on going away again anytime soon.

Harris finished with two sacks in Sunday’s 35-24 second-round playoff win over Seattle. Those were Chicago’s only two sacks of the game.

He also had a sack in the regular-season finale at Green Bay. Chicago has four sacks in its last two games. Three of them by Harris.

So? Isn’t that why the former first-round draft pick is a three-time Pro Bowler?

Yes, it is. But that’s not the Harris the Bears have seen for several years now.

He had half of one sack in his first 15 games. He was yanked from the starting lineup midway through the year.

But he talked his way back in and said he’d do more. His teammates believed him.

“Tommie knows the veteran guys have got to step up now,” safety Danieal Manning said before the season finale at Green Bay. “This is the time of the year.”

It’s a time of year that Harris missed out on in his prime. When the Bears went to the Super Bowl in 2006, they went without Harris, who missed the final four games of the season -- and all of the playoffs -- with a knee injury.

So even if Harris isn’t the player he used to be, now is the time of his football life with the Bears set to play arch rival Green Bay for the third time on Sunday for the right to go back to the Super Bowl.

“It’s truly a blessing to be in this position,” Harris said. “Four years ago, I was sitting and watching with tears in my eyes, just wishing I could be out there. I really take it personal to have this opportunity.”

Harris returned from that injury to post a career-high eight sacks in 2007 and earn his third consecutive Pro Bowl berth. But he slipped after signing a four-year, $40-million contract extension before the 2008 season. Slowed by aching knees, he dropped to five sacks.

He also clashed with the Bears off the field. They suspended him for a game against the Lions in 2008 for missing a treatment session for his knee, complaining to coach Lovie Smith about the Bears releasing receiver Mark Bradley and being distracted by personal problems after he had a child out of wedlock. The Bears also deactivated him for a game against Cincinnati last year when they grew frustrated with his performance.

Why shouldn’t they be frustrated. Harris had three sacks in 30 games before his sack in Green Bay.

But those 30 games no longer matter. What matters is what the Bears -- and Harris -- do in the NFC Championship Game against Green Bay.

“We want to put some pressure on, and Tommie can definitely help us do that,” defensive tackle Anthony Adams said before the second Green Bay game.

He did.

And he did it again last week.

Now, can he do it a third time?

“He’s been a big part of this defense,” defensive end Israel Idonije said.

In the distant past. And recent past. Between those times, Harris was Chicago’s No. 1 enigma.

If he’s truly back now, well, then it comes at the perfect time. Aaron Rodgers comes to Soldier Field having set an NFL record with 10 touchdown passes in his first three career playoff games.

“We know the drill that Rodgers brings,” Harris said. “He’s the most accurate quarterback in the NFL. We just have to stop him.”

To do that, the Bears may need one more chest-pounding performance out of Tommie Harris.

Matt Trowbridge can be reached at 815-987-1383 or mtrowbridge@rrstar.com.